Radiative heat transfer in food processing

Abstract

Abstract Heat transfer, as an operation that is present in the processing of almost every food, occurs\xa0repeatedly in baking, cooking, sterilizing, drying, and freezing in the food industry. Hence, realizing the heat transfer mechanism is essential to control food processing. Radiation as an efficient method of heat transfer at high temperature is the transfer of heat energy via electromagnetic waves that does not need any interaction between the heat source and heated body. In this chapter, the fundamental concepts of radiation heating are discussed. Electromagnetic waves and the electromagnetic spectrum, with special emphasis on thermal radiation, are explained. This is followed by discussion of the perfect black body, radiation of black body, and the role of black body radiation, in cooperation with the Stefan-Boltzmann law, Planck’s law, and Wien’s displacement law.